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Allen Summervale
Lord Allen Summervale, Duke of Cromarty, was a Manticoran citizen and a renowned politician who served as Prime Minister until his death. Appearance He was tall and slim, a common trait of the Summervale family. By 1904 PD, his hair had turned silver and deep lines showed on his face, even though he was a prolong recipient. ( ) Family Denver Summervale, who had been cashiered out of the Royal Manticoran Marine Corps, was a distant cousin, but the Duke always described him as a "black sheep" and shame to the family. ( ) Biography As head of one of the most prominent aristocratic families of the Star Kingdom, the Duke of Cromarty started his political career early. He advanced quickly and by the time of Denver Summervale's court martial (several years before the Basilisk Incident), he had become a Cabinet officer, Lord of Exchequer. ( ) He was already Prime Minister during the last years of the reign of King Roger III, and was one of his closest associates in carrying out a policy of preparation for war with the People's Republic of Haven. Through personal charisma and a gift for balancing opposing interests, he was able to lead Manticoran political parties into several alliances in the service of the war preparation plan both he and the King favored. At the time of Elizabeth III's ascension to the throne in 1884 PD, he had already governed Manticore for several years as Prime Minister. As leader of the Centrist Party, he was the chief advocate for what was widely regarded as the least extreme (from any side) amongst factions of Manticoran nobility and political blocks; they jointly viewed war with Haven as imminent and worked closely with the Crown to prepare for it. In 1900 PD, the Cromarty government was very well established. ( , ) In late 1904 PD, he and First Lord, Francine Maurier, chose Admiral Thomas Caparelli to replace Admiral James Webster as First Space Lord. In 1905 PD, he invited Earl White Haven to a meeting with Admiralty Lords. ( ) On the other hand, despite the long time Cromarty had been Prime Minister, his government was not one with a clear majority and was able to stay in office because of his personal prestige and influence. A significant part of the Manticoran nobility, notably the Conservative Association and the Liberals, did not share the view of the King, the Prime Minister, the Centrist Party, or the Crown Loyalist Party, and constantly attempted to maneuver so as to bring the Cromarty government down.When Captain Lord Pavel Young, son of the very influential Conservative Association politician Dimitri Young (the Earl of North Hollow), was court-martialed after the First Battle of Hancock which began the war, the Conservatives attempted to use their support for the Prime Minister to save Young from conviction or at least from execution. ( ) The Duke continued in office, though the coalition supporting him changed over time, throughout most of the first phase of the First Havenite-Manticoran War. The Duke of Cromarty was assassinated by Masadan terrorists supported by the Havenite government in 1915 PD. The slim majority he had held in Parliament crumbled after his death. Moreover, the ship he was on was carrying several influential officials of the Manticoran government; the event caused a change of government, with Michael Janvier, Baron High Ridge and leader of the Conservatives, becoming the new Prime Minister. ( ) Legacy Summervale was remembered as one of the most outstanding Prime Ministers in the history of Manticore. Queen Elizabeth III considered him a father figure and was deeply shaken by his loss. She had the replacement Royal yacht, after the assassination attempt in which the Duke was murdered, named [[HMS Duke of Cromarty|HMS Duke of Cromarty]] in his honor. ( , ) References Summervale, Allen Summervale, Allen Summervale, Allen Summervale, Allen Summervale, Allen Summervale, Allen Summervale, Allen